The Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT), Muhammed Dahiru, has urged the Minister-designate for Power, Joseph Tegbe, to focus on revamping existing infrastructure and rehabilitating idle power plants as Nigeria grapples with global supply constraints in power equipment.
Dahiru, who is also Chairman of the Nigeria–Czech Republic Trade and Investment Council, made the call in a statement shared via his X handle on Friday, May 1, while congratulating Tegbe on his nomination.
“Congratulations my dear friend and brother… on your appointment as Minister of Power!” Dahiru wrote, although Tegbe is yet to be confirmed by the Senate.
Highlighting structural challenges in the global energy sector, Dahiru stressed that energy bottlenecks extend beyond oil and gas, pointing instead to limitations in metallurgy and turbine production.
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“Many think energy is just about oil & gas. No…the real choke point is metallurgy,” he said.
According to him, the global backlog in gas turbine manufacturing means new orders may not be fulfilled until the end of the decade.
“You can’t buy a new gas turbine until 2030. Order books at GE, Siemens & Mitsubishi are full till 2029. Turbine prices have nearly tripled,” he stated.
Dahiru further explained the complexity of turbine components, noting that critical parts such as blades are produced using highly specialised processes.
“Every blade is a single-crystal nickel superalloy grown in a vacuum furnace — 90 weeks, $600k a set. Only three companies on Earth can make them. China tried for decades and still can’t match the metallurgy,” he added.
Against this backdrop, the PICTT chairman advised the minister-designate to adopt a pragmatic, short-to-medium-term strategy centred on optimising existing assets.
“As you hit the ground running… work with all stakeholders to: rehab our idle plants first (no new turbines needed); lock in long-lead spares & maintenance now; massively scale renewables (solar); fix transmission & gas supply bottlenecks; build local capabilities & smart global partnerships,” Dahiru said.
He expressed optimism about Tegbe’s potential impact, adding, “Nigeria is rooting for you. Light up the nation!”.
TVC News had earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power, subject to confirmation by the Senate and in accordance with the Constitution.
In a Thursday statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, the nomination is expected to strengthen ongoing reforms in the power sector, improve grid stability and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the statement, his nomination has been transmitted to the Senate for screening, following the resignation of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who stepped down to pursue elective office.
Tegbe’s nomination is subject to Senate screening and confirmation.